Following news of the sexual assault lawsuit against hip hop moguls Jay-Z and Diddy, Soulja Boy’s recent comments on the challenges of celebrity have added another layer to the debate about Power dynamics, accountability, and cultural climate in the music industry.
“They’ll lie your name, n***a. They’ll try to take you down, n***a, they don’t want to see us win, they don’t want to see us get into this money, ” Soulja Boy stated frankly.
He continued: “When you’re in this rap industry, when you’re a celebrity, you become a target.
While Soulja Boy, real name DeAndre Cortez Way, did not directly mention Jay-Z or Diddy, he is currently facing his own legal troubles. A sexual abuse lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant and ex-girlfriend is moving forward after a judge denied his legal team’s motion to dismiss the case. The lawsuit includes allegations of sexual abuse, gender-based violence, negligence and a hostile work environment.
Jay-Z released a statement through Roc Nation vehemently denying allegations that he attempted to rape a 13-year-old girl at a VMA afterparty with Diddy in 2000. The lawsuit was filed in October, initially listed Diddy, 55, as the sole defendant and was refiled to include Jay-Z on Sunday, December 8.
Rapper Meek Mill has also spoken out against celebrity targeting, accusing the media of “programming” users with false stories.
In his post on Twitter, now called you can control the matrix… American media is absolutely unbelievable! I saw ‘Jayz’ _____ a 13 year old girl scrolling 300 times and it’s called programming.”
He also shared a follow-up tweet on Sunday, December 8, writing, “Rap smear” with a detective emoji.
Despite the TV series, Soulja Boy, 34, reiterated his commitment to his fans, acknowledging the sacrifices made by celebrities.
“I love all my fans, however, I do this for my fans, but I don’t admit it,” he said in a recent video. “I’m above business, I know. I become famous, I know I’m sacrificing a normal life.”
— Originally published on Enstarz
Tags Soulja Boy, Diddy, Jay-Z